as in relaxing
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
not being one for alcoholic beverages, I prefer to wind down with a cup of tea every night
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Recent Examples of winding down
As the action was winding down, the sixth chair was placed.
—
Jane Bua, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Look for an open man with the clock winding down.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
Instead, the outcome might end up along the lines of a no lose/no lose, winding down of hostilities.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Goldberg wanted to teach after winding down his software and telemarketing company.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
And with the season winding down to its final days, Samoskevich and his shot is finally getting rewarded.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the crowd that gathered at the federal building later in the afternoon, as the rally was winding down, had ignored orders to disperse.
—Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
With camp in Arizona winding down, the Dodgers have decided on their 13-man pitching staff (plus two-way star Shohei Ohtani).
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
With just under two minutes left in the first half and the shot clock winding down, UCLA guard Donovan Dent shot a desperation 3-pointer.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Jane Bua, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Look for an open man with the clock winding down.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
Instead, the outcome might end up along the lines of a no lose/no lose, winding down of hostilities.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Goldberg wanted to teach after winding down his software and telemarketing company.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
And with the season winding down to its final days, Samoskevich and his shot is finally getting rewarded.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the crowd that gathered at the federal building later in the afternoon, as the rally was winding down, had ignored orders to disperse.
—Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
With camp in Arizona winding down, the Dodgers have decided on their 13-man pitching staff (plus two-way star Shohei Ohtani).
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
With just under two minutes left in the first half and the shot clock winding down, UCLA guard Donovan Dent shot a desperation 3-pointer.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winding down
Verb
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For a relaxing post-race stay, check into the Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing, with its award-winning spa (after a massage, consider the tea meditation too) and standout dining options, from Italian to dim sum.—
Madison Flager,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Apr. 2026
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Meditation exercises can set the stage for a good night’s sleep, and an inexpensive noise machine can help with relaxing sounds.—
Sharon Basaraba,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dulude suggests loosening up the food particles on the microwave walls by placing a bowl of water inside with half a lemon and using a high setting to boil the water.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
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Men, once largely confined to safe tuxedos, began loosening up.—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If holiday burnout has you in the mood for rest and relaxation, the star advises taking a break to enjoy one of her favorite holiday traditions—chilling out at home with the family.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Dec. 2025
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As the moon and Venus connect, chilling out doesn’t have to be a snooze-fest.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winding down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winding%20down. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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